If you had the choice, diesel or petrol 80?

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Thomo

Thomo

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Sep 19, 2007
Threads
5
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Location
London, UK.
Howsit going? I've been a long time lurker on Mud, and done the odd post. I'll save the official Mud welcome until i actually have an 80. Oh what the hell :flipoff2:!

So I'm getting pretty close to purchasing an 80. I've only been looking forward to this moment for the last two years! Anyway i have a bit of a dilemma. I'm currently based in the UK and i have a choice of both the Diesel and Petrol 80 series VX ( Fully locked, auto and all the trimmings). i'll be going for the 95-97 model. I'm a petrol head at heart, but i have done alot of reading on mud and it seems alot of you guys would love to have a diesel of you could.

I'm not overly fussed about the price of fuel and all that. I suppose the extra range of the diesel is cool, but damn i just love the petrol.

My plans for the 80 pretty much go along the lines of a Slee 6" lift, 35's, regeared and armoured. I plan on using it for a mixture of trails and expedition type trips

So my question to you guys is: If you could build your 80 all over again and you could choose between diesel or petrol which would you go for and why?
 
Diesel
Better MPG
Normally more reliable, durable
sounds awesome
Low end TQ



Con
replacement parts are more $$$
Heavy
 
Most of us, i.e. here in the United States, don't have a choice, unless we go to extreme lengths. That said, people who have experience with diesel 80s seem quite happy with them and report relatively oustanding mileage.

One thing I'm not clear about is what models/years that a turbo was available with the diesel in the 80 series. I'd definitely go turbo with a diesel and if I had a choice, I'd definitely go diesel...but then I used to work in a truck garage and diesels don't scare me off.
 
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I drove a friend's 1HD-FT with Safari I/C and 'tweaked' fueling etc and I was VERY impressed with the performance versus my s/c 4.5 petrol. The diesel just felt so much stronger and was extremely smooth and quiet for being an oil burner. I would have gladly traded my petrol 80 for his diesel on the spot - it was that impressive. His was an auto fulltime as is my petrol and same sized tyres so a very fair apples to apples comparison.

cheers,
george.
 
The motor in the diesels here for 95 - 97 is the 24 valve 4.2 turbo diesel. Damn you guys have thrown a spanner in the works. i've been set on the petrol for some time now, but i guess since it's getting to crunch time i want to try and go for the whole "buy once, buy right" thing.
 
My preference would be for diesel. They are a simpler and more reliable design generally. I don't know enough about the 80 Series diesel to comment but I've been driving Mercedes diesels for about 10 years and wouldn't have bought a petrol vehicle apart from the fact that it was the only fuel I could get in a Land Cruiser.
My final preference would be for a pre-modern diesel that doesn't rely on electrics at all. Once my MB 617 diesels are running, they don't need any electrons to keep running.
Although I've never owned one, a Deutz diesel with no liquid cooling system is a dream machine. If I found a Land Cruiser with one, I'd probably orgasm just looking at the picture.
 
lt1fire said:
Heavy
Click to expand...

FZJ80 specs:

Curb weight - 4760 lbs.
Hp - 212@4600 RPM
Torque - 275 lb-ft@3200 RPM

HDJ80 specs:

Curb weight - 4884 lbs.
Hp - 170@3600 RPM
Torque - 380 lb-ft@2200 RPM

Having had the opportunity to swap out my 3FE for the 12H-T in my FJ80, an apples to apples comparison in terms of generation, I would say that there is very little weight difference between the gas motor and its diesel counterpart. After the swap, my suspension sat exactly as it did when the gasser was in there.

The difference in torque was quite remarkable...and if I had an opportunity to get a turbo diesel right off the bat, it's the way I would go. If the truck you're looking at has the coveted 1HD-FT...it's a no brainer. :beer:
 
Diesel without question. My 97FZJ would do 280miles on 21gal in bone stock trim... Now that it is 1HD-FT 5spd I get 350miles on 21gal..oh, but that is with ARB bar, OME 850/860, BFG 285s towing M101 with RTT and gear, to the tune of 1500lbs. Unloaded I have managed much as 500miles on 21gal by slowing down and staying off the I5.

If anyone is interested in a locked Canadian market LX450 w/1HD-T
One of my customers is selling his, located in Vancouver B.C.
Import to the US is not an issue. PM or email me for the picasa album link.
 
i cant think of anything more perfect than a manual diesel, almost too good to be true
 
Oh ya, did I mention it has a part time transfer case?
 
Jeremy Clarkson would hate you for buying a diesel.

All kidding aside, I'd get the one that's easier to get parts for and less of a pain if it were to break down.
 
If I could buy diesel 80's here for a decent price I would have. On the other hand, if I were rich, I wouldn't care. I could have the sub tank installed in a petrol.
 
oil burner for sure. why? no PHH. no HG failure looming over your head. no EGR faults to try to chase down. nope, nothing but pure stump pulling, black exhaust smoking, clickity clak sounding torque monster.

oh...and it can get almost double the mileage. thats right. double.
 
Having been raised in Nicaragua with diesel and gas, have to go for gas, more power, faster, more torque, and the smell just so much better than the dirty diesel. you also live longer by not having to inhale all that soot. MPG's it's a LC common get some jerry cans and problem solved.
 
Theycallmenica said:
Having been raised in Nicaragua with diesel and gas, have to go for gas, more power, faster, more torque, and the smell just so much better than the dirty diesel. you also live longer by not having to inhale all that soot. MPG's it's a LC common get some jerry cans and problem solved.
Click to expand...

I can appreciate your differing point of view on the smell (I don't mind it...I like it better than smelling the exhaust of a gasser that's burning too rich)...but gas engines have more torque than diesel engines...huh? Just look at the specs above between an FZJ80 and an HDJ80.
 
70sguy said:
If anyone is interested in a locked Canadian market LX450 w/1HD-T
One of my customers is selling his, located in Vancouver B.C.
Import to the US is not an issue. PM or email me for the picasa album link.
Click to expand...

Since it's not 25 years old, perhaps you could give us a very brief explanation of how it can be legally imported into the US? Just curious. I'm currently living in England and will moving back to the US and I've researched the regs myself (and phoned both Customs, DOT, and EPA). I just don't see a way to legally make it happen.

As to the OP's original question, diesel all the way but I would make sure that it has the turbo.
 
ive driven plenty of turbo 80 series and petrol 80 series by far i would choose the petrol
but thats because the petrol motor power is best suit to my style of 4wheelin
 
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